child of god, lover of sharon, father of 5, future farmer...oh, and i play a little guitar too.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Hope for the Hokies....and me.

It's taken me a week, and I still don't quite know how to put words on my feelings. In fact...I don't think there are words. We say things like tragedy, horrific, unexplainable, senseless...horrible. But nothing seems to quite put a fine enough point on it. I didn't go to Virginia Tech. I didn't know any one of the victims of this tragedy. It seems odd that I would be connected to this place I've never even been to. But, God brought a friend to Sharon and I about a year ago...seemingly random...who is a recent Virginia Tech grad. She's the first one I thought of last Monday morning. This tragedy has certainly rocked her life and it seems almost by proximity, Sharon and I have been grieving with her. I don't quite understand how that works...to share sorrow when you have no REAL connection to it. But what I do know and understand is that there is healing in community and sharing the mourning with each other. True community makes that possible, if you let it. Recently, I've been going through sorrow of my own. While it's no where near (not even close) the level of tragedy that the Hokies have gone through...it's real in my life. And as I shared that sorrow and anger with the people that I lean on in my own life, I felt resolution, I felt God telling me to give it to Him. To lean not on my own understanding...but in all ways, acknowledge Him...knowing that He will make my path straight. In the midst of tragedy, God is with us. He never let's go, He's always standing right beside us, even thought we walk through the valley of the shadow of death...He will see us through. Please pray for the families and students at Virginia Tech...even after the cameras go away and the spotlight dims. Go to Hope for the Hokies to get a free EP of songs to help encourage you in this time of trouble. Take care and God bless...